


Winter Wonder Walk

by Shannon_Kind



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Christmas Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute, winter holidays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-09-27 08:23:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17158595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shannon_Kind/pseuds/Shannon_Kind
Summary: Dean begrudgingly agrees to be his roomate's Plus One at a charity event, since Benny can't bring his girlfriend who will be volunteering. Of course Benny ditches him first chance he gets. And there's this one volunteer with messy dark hair and bright blue eyes who seems to have a problem with everything Dean does.





	Winter Wonder Walk

**Author's Note:**

  * For [canadduh](https://archiveofourown.org/users/canadduh/gifts).



> This fic is for Canadduh for the Profound Bond Holiday Gift Exchange. I hope you had a wonderful holiday! The tropes used were College AU and Meet-Cute.

[ ](https://imgur.com/iNHge5b)  


The pale blue invitation slapped onto Dean’s engineering textbook, obscuring the equations he was studying for finals. He tried to push it out of the way, but his roommate’s big hand held it still.

“Benny, is this your way of asking me out on a date?” he teased, batting his eyes playfully. 

It earned him a smack to the back of the shoulder. “Come on, brother,” Benny drawled. “Andrea’s part of that ‘Concerned, Active and Aware Students’ thing. She practically begged me to come along and help out the kids.”

“So go with her.” Dean turned back to his books. 

“I would, but I can’t. She’s gonna be working most of the night.”

Dean shook his head, laughing. “Buddy, you are so whipped.”

“Wouldn’t want it any other way.”

** ** **

That was how Dean, good wing-man that he was, found himself bundled up in the warmest coat he had on campus and following Benny to Potter Lake where this ridiculous walk was supposed to begin.

Local rugrats were running underfoot, excited for the holiday season about to begin. Apparently this wasn’t so much a campus event as a community event. As long as he didn’t end up tripping over the kids, they were kind of cute. Reminded him of Sammy as a kid.

Benny threw an arm around Dean’s neck and dragged him up to the foot bridge. Huge black cloth blocked the view on the other side of the bridge and corralled everyone toward the group of students standing at a table with a banner proclaiming them to be the CAAS group. A young guy, dark hair, gorgeous blue eyes, with a name tag that said Alfie ripped their tickets and put his piece in the cash box before handing the stubs back. “You two sure make a cute couple,” he sighed.

Dean huffed out a laugh, but Benny’s belly laugh was raucous. “Well, Dean here is single if you’re looking, but I’ve actually got my eye on Andrea Kormos. You seen her?”

The kid blushed, or maybe it was just the cold. “I think she’s on hot chocolate by the skating rink,” he said.

Dean looked at him questioning. “You can’t skate on Potter Lake.”

Alfie shook his head. “We’ve got all sorts of things for the kids along the route. Pictures with Santa, a candy cane maze, they even rented an ice rink and slide for the day.”

Dean nodded his goodbye to the kid and chased after Benny, who had already crossed the bridge and was headed down the path. As soon as he crossed the bridge, it was like stepping into another world. White Christmas lights were arranged into a tunnel taking him from Kansas University to an actual winter-y fairyland. Dean couldn’t help but catch his breath. He was half jealous of Benny. It would have been amazing to have someone’s hand to hold, walking through here. 

After the first twist in the tunnel, there was a little branch off where more CAAS students were selling s’mores kits. Behind them was a set up of cozy looking fire pits where parents helped their kids toast marshmallows. Dean stopped and smiled at the view. There were a few couples mixed in among the families. They looked happy, cuddled together against the cold. For a half second, Dean wished that he was a part of one of them, before he remembered that tonight was about backing up Benny, not about finding his own snow prince or princess.

When he turned back to the path, Benny was nowhere to be seen. “Son of a bitch!” he hissed, his breath crystallizing in the air.

“This is a family event; watch your language.” 

“Sorry,” Dean turned to face the guy with the gravelly voice, picking up the littered marshmallow toasting sticks that children and their families had left behind. “I know better,” he shrugged.” You wouldn’t have happened to see--” Dean couldn’t finish his sentence. This guy’s eyes were even more blue than the kid who had taken his ticket. And he looked livid.

“Would I have happened to see you getting ready to ruin the event for these families with your careless words? Do you have any idea how many children are counting on this event?” He looked like an avenging angel. It was hot.

Dean put his hands up, hoping to look harmless. “Hey, man. I really am sorry. I don’t think anyone heard me, so I lucked out this time. But I’ll be more careful, ok?”

The man just glared at him. Dean took that as a sign to shut his mouth and hurry on. Hopefully he’d find Benny soon.

He had to hand it to the college kids, they’d really outdone themselves. There were themed areas of lights set up, Santa doing a backflip off a ski ramp surrounded by cheering elves, a whole nativity scene, and even a section where different fairy tales were depicted. But unfortunately, no Benny. He knew he was only here as a wingman, but if the guy was going to ditch him before he even found Andrea, what was the point of him showing up in the frost place? He did still have another final coming up. 

It felt like Dean had been walking for a good three hours, but in reality it was probably only about ten minutes. Okay, maybe twenty. Benny and Andrea had probably snuck off to find some secluded place where they could enjoy the lights, and each other. Dean kind of wished he had someone to enjoy, too. Someone with piercing blue eyes and an almost dangerous glare… Stop thinking about that guy, Winchester! He was a total jerk. 

The fairy lights gave way to floodlights, and Dean could see a clearing up ahead. Right in the center was that ice rink the kid had been talking about. Families skated around the small area with mixed success. Kids were screaming and laughing. It was kind of cute, if you didn’t listen to the actual words. 

Dean spied around the outskirts where vendor’s tables were set up, selling hot chocolate and brownies, renting skates, or selling warm hats and gloves. He still didn’t see Andrea at any of them. 

Ooof.

Something had collided with the back of Dean’s knees, sending him sprawling onto the cold ground. It hadn’t actually snowed yet, and the frozen ground was especially hard. 

“Sorry!” a tiny voice said, running off toward his parents with a pair of skates tied together and slung over his shoulder.

Dean followed him with his eyes. So much for parents paying attention. At least the kid didn’t appear to be hurt, although Dean wasn't sure about the state of his own knees. 

“I see you’ve decided to clean up your language.”

Dean swiveled to see the same blue eyed student as before, looking down at him. Thankfully, this time the guy seemed to be smiling, if only a little. Dean shrugged, trying not to look embarrassed, as he lay flat on the ground. “Santa’s always watching.”

The guy reached out a hand to help him up. “I think we got off on the wrong foot before. I’m Cas.”

Dean took the hand for the olive branch it was. “CAAS? You don’t have a name? Just ‘Concerned, Active, Attractive Student?” He was pulled quickly to his feet. The guy was surprisingly strong. Dean had an inch or two on him, but not much.

“That is my name. It’s short for Castiel.”

“Nice to meet you, Cas. I’m Dean.”

“So you think I’m attractive, Dean?”

Dean smiled, trying to hide his blush as he realized what he'd said. “Maybe?” He realized he was still holding Cas’s hand. He wasn’t letting go unless Cas did first.

** ** **

He didn’t find Benny on the walk that night. Not that he minded. When he and Cas shared their first kiss at midnight on New Years Eve, he thought maybe he ought to have sent his roomate a better Christmas gift than plastic vampire teeth. Maybe next year.

**Author's Note:**

> The Winter Wonder Walk in this story was inspired by two winter festivals I've actually been to. One, a local one run by a Catholic School, which was simple and sweet and just right for kids. The other was a commercial monstrosity called Magic of Lights, which runs in seven locations in the US and is insane. They really do have a portable skating rink and ice luge, and a maze and I can't even remember what all else. 
> 
> CAAS is a real group up at Kansas University, although I couldn't find much information on them other than that they exist. Potter Lake is also a real place, although I have never been there. If you have, I apologize for the absolute mess I've made of it. KidsTLC is a highly rated charity (rated 92.92 out of 100) in Kansas City that works with local children with autism and other behavioral health problems. They are definitely worth checking out.


End file.
